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CLV (Q FR III, 7)

TO HIS BROTHER QUINTUS (IN GAUL)
TUSCULUM (NOVEMBER)
At Rome, and especially on the Appian road as far as the temple of Mars, there is a remarkable flood. The promenade of Crassipes has been washed away, pleasure grounds, a great number of shops. There is a great sheet of water right up to the public fish-pond. That doctrine of Homer's is in full play: “ The days in autumn when in violent flood
Zeus pours his waters, wroth at sinful men
”— for it falls in with the acquittal of Gabinius— “ Who wrench the law to suit their crooked ends
And drive out justice, recking naught of Gods.
” 1 But I have made up my mind not to care about such things. When I get back to Rome I will write and tell you my observations, and especially about the dictatorship, and I will also send a letter to Labienus and one to Ligurius. I write this before daybreak by the carved wood lamp-stand, in which I take great delight, because they tell me that you had it made when you were at Samos. Good-bye, dearest and best of brothers.


1 Hom. Il. 16.385.

Cicero. The Letters of Cicero; the whole extant correspondence in chronological order, in four volumes. Evelyn S. Shuckburgh. London. George Bell and Sons. 1908-1909.

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